Chapter 3: The Evaporation of an Empire
The living room, once a symbol of immense prestige, now felt like a cage.
Julian sat on the carpet, his tie hanging loose, his entire financial world evaporating in seconds. He could hear the faint sound of sirens down on the street. He didn't have to be a genius to know why. With the Vandermeer Syndicate pulling their financial backing and filing formal charges for embezzlement—based on the "work stress" expenses he’d been using to pay for his secret affairs—the authorities were already on their way.
"You can't do this to me!" Julian screamed at the ceiling. "I built this! I built everything!"
"You built a mirage," Victoria said, walking over to him. She didn't touch him. She didn't offer him mercy. She stood over him, a goddess of vengeance. "You thought you could treat me like a possession, a silent witness to your infidelities. You forgot that in the world I come from, loyalty is the only currency that actually matters. You chose to spend it. Now, you’re bankrupt."
Chloe tried to stand up, her legs shaking so violently she nearly fell. "Victoria, this is insane! I had nothing to do with this! I’m leaving, I’m just leaving!"
"You aren't leaving with anything you didn't arrive with," Victoria said, her gaze swinging to Chloe. "Check your bag."
Chloe grabbed her designer handbag. She opened it and screamed. The bag was empty. Her passport, her credit cards, and her phone were gone—likely confiscated by the security team Victoria had placed at every exit the moment Julian had brought Chloe into the house.
May you like
"You’re a trespasser, Chloe," Victoria said. "And the police are here to collect the trash."
The heavy mahogany doors swung open. Not with the polite knock of a guest, but with the tactical precision of a raid. Four security agents, led by the Sterling Estate’s Head of Security, marched into the room. They didn't look at the expensive art or the marble floors. They walked straight to Julian and Chloe.
